Crime in Swanage
Recorded crime in Swanage is about the Dorset average and 0.6 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 17%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Swanage: about 7,262 residents in 7 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 5.8/10Fair
- 5-year change
- −17%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.0×the Dorset average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Swanage.
Crime over 5 years
Down 17% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Swanage, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: about the Dorset average (0.6× the England and Wales average). 45 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 72% of the harm here
- Burglary: 14% of the harm here
- Other theft: 5% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 72% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 20 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.2 |
| Burglary | 2.5 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 21.0 |
| Drugs | 0.8 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.3 |
| Other crime | 0.4 |
| Other theft | 4.3 |
| Theft from the person | 0.3 |
| Vehicle crime | 2.1 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 6.4 |
| Public order | 3.0 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 3.6 |
Postcode districts in Swanage
Nearby towns
Council: Dorset
Questions about crime in Swanage
- Is Swanage a safe place to live?
- Swanage scores 7 out of 10 for safety (low crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is about the Dorset average.
- Is crime going up or down in Swanage?
- Down 17% over 5 years, from 349 recorded crimes a year to 288.
- What is the most common crime in Swanage?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 21 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Swanage compare with Dorset?
- Crime severity in Swanage is about the Dorset average.